SCARY, BABY, GINGER, Posh and Sporty Spice, aka Emma, Geri, Mel B, Melanie C and Victoria, bring their World Tour to the Mandalay Bay Events Center Dec. 8, 9 and 10. Spice Girls’ manager Simon Fuller (American Idol creator) - named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most-influential people in the world - engineered the comeback tour.

DAVID COPPERFIELD’S hassles continue ...

First the Feds raid his museum looking for evidence to support a woman’s claim that he raped her in the Bahamas. They also took $2 million cash that the magician had in a safe. Now he’s being sued by two promoters for canceling 48 scheduled performances, for which they reportedly paid $2.2 million in advance (in cash, maybe). Then an ex-employee tried to blackmail him by threatening to reveal secret documents detailing how he uses staffers to screen women for backstage meet and greets that sometimes led to vacations on his private island.

THE MEGABUCKS Las Vegas Marathon Challenge is a race within a race that pays $40,000 to the first man or woman to cross the finish line. The prize money is only for Elite runners, and to make it fair the ladies start ahead of the men. The Running Elvises will do the half-marathon (hopefully 101 in all), and the Blue Man Group will perform at a secret location on the course.

DANCING WITH THE STARS, ABC’s No. 1 nonscripted show, moves to the stage of The Orleans Arena Sunday, Dec. 30. In this tour’s lineup: season two winner and special guest star Drew Lachey with Cheryl Burke, Sabrina Bryan with Mark Ballas and season three’s Joey Lawrence with Edyta Sliwinska.

CHOCOHOLIC ALERT ... Payard Patisserie & Bistro at Caesars Palace, located across the hall from Rao’s, features the creations of internationally acclaimed chocolatier Francois Payard. The chocolate and pastry shop has made-to-order take-away items perfect for omiyage or late-night hotel room snackin’. In the dining room, you’ll find the first dessert-only tasting menu in Las Vegas.

Sabrina Bryan

GAMBLERS BEAT THE HOUSE! That’s what happened at the Las Vegas Sands Corp. (owners of the Venetian Hotel Casino) last summer. The company posted a third quarter loss of $48.5 million compared to last year’s $97.3 million profit.

HARRAH’S ENTERTAINMENT has reopened 335 rooms (of the 501) that were closed for inspection because they were remodeled without the proper permits and safety inspections.

KIMO’S VEGAS SHOW TIP: Now through Jan. 31 you can see two-time (2004 and 2006) Miss Fitness USA, Punahou and Stanford grad Sarah Harding, for half the price! Seats for KA! are on sale for 50 percent off - as low as $34.50 - from the Cirque Du Soleil site (get the link at http://www.KimosVegas.com).

THE NEW ZAGAT SURVEY is out, listing 2008’s Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts and Spas guide. Of the 1,035 hotels, resorts, spas and chains in the book, the best hotel in Sin City finished fifth:

1) Peninsula (Chicago)

2) Four Seasons (Chicago)

3) Mandarin Oriental (Miami)

4) Peninsula (Los Angeles)

5) Four Seasons (Las Vegas)

But even more impressive was how well the Four Seasons and Halekulani folks represented the state of Hawaii on the top five resorts chart: